History

Joseph H. Huie Elementary School was named for Joseph Hamilton Huie, Superintendent of Clayton County Schools in 1915. Huie was born on February 21, 1836, son of Andrew Lynn Huie (1811-1905), and was named for his grandfather, Joseph Huie, who moved to Clayton County from Jefferson County in 1825. He was married to Mary Daniel, with whom he had eleven children: seven girls and four boys.

When the Civil War broke out, Joseph Huie was teaching school. He joined the Confederate Army, serving in the 30th Georgia Regiment, Company E. He entered as a private and advanced to the rank of Captain by the time of his discharge. For eleven months he was held as a prisoner of war near Lake Erie.

Joseph Hamilton Huie died on June 25, 1921. He is buried in the Huie family cemetery, located in Forest Park, Georgia.

In 1966, JOSEPH H. HUIE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL opened with an enrollment of 850 students. Kenneth Barnes was named as Huie's first principal where he remained for 23 years until his retirement in 1989. A new wing was added in 1969 to accommodate the growing student body which by 1972 had swelled to 1150 students. More classrooms were added in 1980 due to the addition of two kindergarten classes.

The computer age began for Huie Elementary in 1983. A computer lab was added later for remediation and enrichment activities. Keeping in line with technical awareness, a program was developed in 1984 using video taping equipment.

From 1989 through 1994, Joe Williams served as principal at Huie Elementary. Curcelia Collins was named the same year (1989) as Assistant Principal. In 1993 the first Pre-Kindergarten class was added to Huie, based in the Lexington Square Apartments. In 1994, Mr. Williams was named as assistant to the director of the technology department.

Baxter Harper succeeded Mr. Williams in 1994. The same year another Pre-K class was added at the Huie campus. In 1995, two modular classrooms were added and construction on a new gymnasium was begun. Construction of the gym was completed in 1996.

To begin the 1997 school year, a new parking lot was added in front of the school to alleviate some major parking problems. In 2001 the building underwent a complete renovation. New art, music and special education classrooms were added as well as new heat, air conditioning, and sprinkler systems. Every classroom was remodeled. The number of staff members at Huie is approximately 80.